By JERUSALEM POST STAFFKadima officials assessed Tuesday morning that at least 30 Likud key figures would join Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's party in the coming days.
They believed this departure would significantly hamper the Likud's organizational capabilities, and would deepen the movement's crisis.
Meanwhile, central Likud figures believed that MK Uzi Landau's resignation would increase MK Binyamin Netanyahu's chances to win leadership of the party. Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, Netanyahu, and Likud party member Moshe Feiglin remained in the race.
Army Radio reported that Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz's staff admitted his objective is to force Netanyahu to compete in a runoff election.